Study Reveals American Trust Crisis With Government, Business and the MediaIn an increasingly divisive and volatile world, entrepreneurs must focus on building a culture of trust.

According to the 2021 Edelman Trust Barometer, the U.S. is experiencing a "trust reckoning." Only48 percent of respondentsexpressed trust in government, NGOs, businesses and the media, with the global trust index clocking in at 56 percent.

Businesses are now the only institution considered both competent and ethical, earning 61 percent of respondents' trust globally. Simultaneously, trust in the media has reached record lows: Nearly 6 in 10 people believe journalists purposely try to mislead the public.